Respect and admiration for someone or something. As a verb, it means to value or think highly of someone or something.
From Old French *estimer* 'to estimate, value, appraise', from Latin *aestimare* 'to value, rate'. It moved from judging price to judging worth in a broader sense.
Esteem is about 'estimating' a person’s worth, including your own. Self-esteem is literally the value you assign to yourself in your own mental marketplace. That makes it less mystical and more like a judgment you can question and update.
Social norms around esteem have often rewarded women for conformity to gendered expectations (e.g., modesty, caregiving) while undervaluing their intellectual and professional achievements. Men’s accomplishments have more often been publicly esteemed in records and institutions.
Be mindful of whose work and contributions you publicly esteem; avoid reinforcing patterns that praise men’s achievements while treating similar work by women or gender‑diverse people as secondary.
["respect","regard","admiration"]
When recounting figures held in high esteem in a field, include women and marginalized contributors whose recognition has lagged behind their impact.
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